Nielsen Entertainment Moves Its Operations to Hollywood

The ratings are up for doing business in Hollywood, according to city officials who on Tuesday said the area's rejuvenation would be helped by Nielsen Entertainment's decision to consolidate its operations, including 500 jobs, on Sunset Boulevard.

Mayor James K. Hahn and City Councilman Eric Garcetti said at a Hollywood news conference that financial incentives offered by the city played a role in attracting Nielsen, the firm whose television viewership ratings are the industry standard.

"Nielsen's relocation sends an important message to the entertainment industry and other major corporations that Los Angeles is the place to do business," Hahn said.

"Encouraging tenants like Nielsen Entertainment to relocate to Hollywood goes a long way toward supporting the revitalization of this historic part of Los Angeles and will help us to continue to ensure Hollywood's prominence as the entertainment capital of the world," the mayor said.

The company had considered moving its operations from an office in the Mid-Wilshire district to Glendale or Burbank, but Los Angeles officials stepped in with incentives including a $250,000 rehabilitation loan and a $50,000 grant to improve the front of the building at 6255 Sunset Blvd.

In addition, Garcetti said, efforts to keep the firm in Los Angeles were helped by changes to the city's business tax code that will cut Nielsen's annual gross receipts tax from about $600,000 to $87,000.

"We couldn't think of a more appropriate place than Hollywood to bring our entire operation under one roof," said Nielsen President Andrew Wing.